SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers took a calculated risk by placing backup running back Kendall Hunter on waivers. The gamble paid off when Hunter cleared waivers Tuesday and moved to the 49ers injured-reserve list.

Any of the league's 31 other teams had the opportunity to claim Hunter in the 24 hours after he was waived by the 49ers, who gambled that no team would do so because of financial reasons.

Hunter suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee early in training camp. He is expected to miss all of the upcoming season.

If a team had claimed Hunter, it would have assumed his $645,000 base salary for this season and been obligated to cover his rehabilitation.

Another thing that made claiming Hunter a risky proposition is that he is in the final year of his contract.

Therefore, Hunter is a free agent at season's end. If a team had claimed Hunter, the only benefit it would have enjoyed is exclusive negotiating rights on a new contract until free agency started in mid-March.

The 49ers knew all that and rolled the dice, which enabled them to use Hunter's roster spot on running back Glenn Winston on Monday.

Now Hunter is back with the 49ers, at least for the rest of this season. It's likely that the 49ers will try to re-sign Hunter for 2015, if not beyond.

Hunter, who turns 26 in September, rushed for 1,202 yards and seven touchdowns in 43 regular-season games from 2011-13. He also caught 27 passes as the primary backup to Frank Gore.